The structure of the balance of power in the rap world continued to evolve towards multipolarity over the last two years, if not an actual hegemonic transition, in the midst of a serious financial crisis afflicting the entire industry — a situation not unfamiliar to the White House. The relentless rise of southern rap mirrors the economic and political rise of Asia. … Watch the Throne then can be seen as a shrewd move to institutionalize Jay-Z’s hegemony before feeling the effects of likely decline in a rapidly shifting and potentially hostile environment, through more robust partnerships and a fully-realized new alliance system.